RIVERHEAD, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After engaging in a lengthy and deliberative review of how best to provide care for approximately 220,000 people who depend on Peconic Bay Medical Center (PBMC), its Board of Directors has approved a definitive agreement to become a full member of North Shore-LIJ Health System following completion of contractual approvals and government regulatory review.
“After an exhaustive strategic planning process, we’ve concluded that partnering with North Shore-LIJ is in the best interest of the men, women and children who depend on PBMC. We believe this decision ensures we are capable of meeting not just the current needs but future health and wellness challenges of central Suffolk County and eastern Long Island. In addition, this agreement would establish important new regional medical services and provide long-term stability for our patients during a time of great volatility in the healthcare market,” said Sherry Patterson, chair of the PBMC board.
Upon receiving all approvals, PBMC would bring to North Shore-LIJ a 200-bed community teaching hospital and a skilled nursing/rehabilitation facility that have been serving the region for 64 years. It would join 19 other hospital within the health system,, extending North Shore–LIJ’s presence into eastern Long Island for the first time while joining its existing Suffolk County hospitals: Huntington Hospital, Southside Hospital in Bay Shore and South Oaks Hospital in Amityville. PBMC was an affiliate member of the health system between 2000 and 2006.
“The North Shore-LIJ Health System is thrilled to be renewing its relationship with Peconic Bay Medical Center, which has a long, proud history of service to communities disbursed throughout a wide geographic area,” said Michael J. Dowling, North Shore-LIJ’s president and CEO. “All of us recognize the challenges facing healthcare providers nationwide as we adapt to changes in the way healthcare is accessed, delivered and paid for. By working in an integrated and collaborative way, and investing in new initiatives and key clinical programs aimed at attracting new customers, we’re confident we can position the hospital for future success while fulfilling our shared mission of improving the quality of life in the local communities we serve.”
Peconic Bay Medical Center has approximately 1,300 employees and cares for more than 7,000 inpatients and 168,000 outpatients annually. The hospital, a New York State designated stroke center, features a highly regarded Emergency Department serving about 37,000 patients a year, an advanced surgery center, centers of excellence in joint replacement and bariatric surgery, and a range of other medical services. The hospital also operates a certified home health agency, a 60-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, a six-bed palliative care center, an advanced ambulatory and urgent care campus in Manorville, and a growing network of community-based family care and specialty physician practices throughout central and eastern Suffolk County. For more information about Peconic Bay Medical Center, go to www.pbmchealth.org.
North Shore-LIJ Health System is one of the nation's largest health systems, delivering world-class clinical care throughout the New York metropolitan area, pioneering research at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, a visionary approach to medical education highlighted by the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, and healthcare coverage to individuals, families and businesses through the CareConnect Insurance Co. Inc. North Shore-LIJ cares for people at every stage of life at 19 hospitals and more than 400 outpatient physician practices throughout the region. North Shore-LIJ’s owned hospitals and long-term care facilities house more than 6,400 beds, employ nearly 11,000 nurses and have affiliations with about 10,000 physicians. With a workforce of about 54,000, North Shore-LIJ is the largest private employer in New York State. For more information, go to www.northshorelij.com.
